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A POETIC REVERIE 

ON MAN 



BY 

IRVING J. A. MILLER 

Author "Fireside Poems" 



CHICAGO 

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR 

1912 






Copyright, 1912, by Irving J. A. Miller 







Wo 

OBugenie Charlotte 

gtocet|)eart anU Wiite 

tDl)O0e pure anH Hebout lobe I)atl) eber been 

tije real mopiration of mp better tljougljte 

t^ia bit of blantt berse in most 

affectionately DeBicateli 



Ma)i's actions are the exact 
counterpart of his thoughts and, 
good or bad, he cannot disozvn 
them, for they are invariably of 
his own creation. 



Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know 
them. — Matthew, vii:20. 

For every tree is known by his own fruit. 
For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of 
a bramble bush gather they grapes. — Luke, 
vi:44. 



A POETIC REVERIE ON MAN 



Twilight Thoughts 




^C>^ -Cy O 



N going forth — out in this wondrous world — 
Man doth behold, in all their gorgeousness, 
The vaulted sky and verdure green of earth, 
And, in his glory, sees the work of God 
In every living thing Dame Nature claims. 
He reads the stars and, looking far beyond, 
He brings to eye the sight of other spheres 
Which, circling round — in space unlimited — 
Revolve around us, as this world revolves 
Around the sun. He plants a tiny twig; 
In after years beholds a mammoth tree. 
He marvels of its growth and learns thereby 
How mighty things from smallest sources rise. 
He notes the varied changes Time hath wrought ; 
He dips far in the future of all things 
And studies for himself the greater world. 
But finds himself a pigmy in the strife — 
Deceived, inspired by spirits good and bad. 



[7] 



Twilight T ho u gilts 



Man is, at best, the prodigy of Time; 
His destiny, the pleasure of his will. 
If, by exertion or by power endowed, 
By pen or sword, by chisel — either one — 
He proves himself the master of some art, 
Then Genius quickly marks him as her own. 

Once elevated from life's common sphere, 
Man finds himself confronted, as it were, 
By other things unknown to lesser souls 
Who only know the pain of honest toil. 
Life has for them a sweeter, calmer air, 
A lower aim but oft a nobler end. 
Ah! better far to live a humbler life 
Than die the death of some men of renown. 

Life has its charms, its discords and its woes; 
It is to man all that he wills it be ; 
Devoid of sin — as pure as Eden's air — 
Or fraught with wickedness and crime untold. 

Man goes astray, through ignorance, at times; 
Oft doth review the course he hath pursued. 
If he repent, forgive him as a child 
And lead him back, with kindness, in the path ; 
To fail in this is sin itself — supreme. 



[8] 



Twilight T houg hts 



The crop dependeth on the soil and seed. 
The harvest time is sure to come at last ; 
Perhaps too late — man must abide his time — 
God's will is just, His word is truth and law. 

Man loves his God and worships in His church ; 

He loves his ox, his horses and his sheep ; 

He loves his home (when love is centered there) ; 

But, as a rule, when driven to the point, 

He loves his gold far more than all the rest. 

The miser (that he is) makes him a peer; 

The world grants him the cherished right-of-way, 

Bequeaths him power, and in his thankfulness 

He turns with hate on those whose daily toil 

Hath gained for him the millions which he owns; 

And, with a heart as hard as razor-steel. 

He veers from them as though they were a pack 

Of hungry wolves and he their courted prey. 

Why hate the poor? Have they not souls as well? 
Is not their love a precious gift to prize? 
Can they not strike a telling blow to sin? 
Without their aid, what flag triumphant be? 
What country first in either peace or war? 
Why scorn the poor? The miser's soul is damned. 
The pauper has his honor and his God. 



[9] 



Tw ilight T houghts 



How narrow is the path that honor knows ; 
How straight it leads us on to heaven's door ; 
How few the feet that never leave its course ; 
How grand the mortal is who walks its length — 
Through years and years — this everlasting path. 

It hath been said: "Man's inhumanity to man 

Makes countless thousands mourn." How true, indeed. 

It is the curse inflicted on his race, 

That bears man down and makes of him a slave 

To do the bidding of a brother's will. 

Mark you, kind sir, the scene hath shifted now ; 

The slave hath changed in color, and today 

We find him north and south, and east and west, 

The servant of the rich man and his gold. 

Such is the curse which labor doth endure ; 

Such is the curse which robs men of their strength ; 

Such is the curse that galls their manly minds ; 

Such is the curse that drives them to despair ; 

No wonder that the world more wicked grows, 

No wonder that our prison cells are filled. 

The smallest cask may hold the sweetest wine, 
Its size is not an emblem of its worth ; 
Aye, better far to own one small rosebud 
Than covet all the daisies of the dell. 



fiOJ 



Twilight T houghts 



Man must not look to eagle-heights 

And wantonly pursue a downward course. 

If he would rise to eminence in time, 

Let Character come first ; then, in their turn. 

The honors which he seeks may bless his name. 

Too often, though, his mind is led astray 

And in his greed he seeks to grasp and wear 

The master-wreath that Glory holds aloof. 

If life be sweet ; then, why should man despair, 
Cast off Life's robe and seek eternal rest? 
I blame him not, who, hampered by his sins, 
Gives back to God all that He gladly gave; 
Prefers to meet his Master face to face 
And answer for his evil actions wrought. 
Than wear the shackles of his fellowmen 
And dwell within the prison's awful gloom. 

Man bares his head before God's sacred shrine- 
Communes with Him in seeming reverence 
(Today it's so, tomorrow — otherwise). 
"His heart is pure," so saith his fellowmen, 
Who likewise bow before God's sacred pew ; 
Of such false souls, it might be truly said : 
Their fear of God is but a passing thought; 
Their fear of hell is but a dismal dream. 



[H] 



Twilight Thoughts 



Mind is to man what rudders are to ships 
Which breast the waves and rove the mighty seas ; 
If in control, his course is straight and sure, 
But let it lose its bearings — all is lost. 

Man stops to think, and, looking round him, sees 
The good, the bad; and in his heart beholds 
The infamy of man; the love of God — 
The Spirit of the Son, Who came to save ; 
The drudgery of life, the coming dawn 
That ushers in the spectre of the tomb. 

Polluted man — despoiler of his sex — 
He reasons not, but with a stronger arm 
Goes silently, in Life's broad battle-field, 
And lays the victim of his frenzy low; 
Then pleads insane — indulges in a farce — 
To catch some wise tribunal unawares, 
And Yellow Gold, his ally in the play. 
Comes boldly forth — the hero of the hour. 

Unhappy man ("the noblest work of God"), 
Wherein could lie thy claim to such a dower? 
To woman, only, doth such words apply; 
To her, alone, doth Heaven's wreath belong. 
To her kind hands man owes a lasting debt 
Of gratitude, of mercy and good will. 



[12] 



Twilight T houghts 



A mother's love is next to God's own love; 
It is eternal as the sun and stars — 
Begins with life and lives within the grave. 

God fashioned man and woman unto each ; 

He willed that man should take the stronger part; 

He bade him wed and multiply his race; 

He gave him strength to toil and bear his load ; 

He made of him a help-mate for his spouse ; 

He planned him for a model of this earth — 

A credit to His Kingdom's holy work 

And not a curse to His beloved name. 

God looked to man to elevate his race — 
Uplift it to a grander, nobler sphere — 
And lend his powers to finer actions wrought, 
His mind to teachings of a higher kind, 
Than merely wasting time and energy 
In loathsome paths of vile iniquity. 

Awake, O sinful slaves, from lethargy ! 

Renew thy task — thy duty unto God! 

Shake off thy cloak of shame and face the world 

With honest eyes. Retrace thy wayward steps 

And lend a hand to struggling forms which lie 

Within that slowly ebbing, drifting tide 

That bears thy brothers on to hell's whirlpool. 



[13] 



Twilight T houghts 



God hath forbid, yet, man defies His will ; 
Man hears God's voice from out the warring clouds, 
In mighty tones which cause his soul to quake 
With mortal fear. God's voice availeth naught. 

Who wields the Rod of Sin must penance pay ; 
Who yields his birthright for a coward's name 
Must not expect a fortune as his share. 

Procrastination is the thief, in youth, 
That steals from man Ambition's highest aim. 
Beware ! kind friend, lest you perchance catch sight 
Of fickle Opportunity too late. 

Aye ! rung by rung Life's ladder man ascends, 
Though slowly be the pace he doth endure. 
Success is sure but comes in divers forms, 
Some call it Luck, but such is not its name. 
'Tis Opportunity that wields the power. 
Without its aid man cannot get a hold. 

By energy and never-tiring zeal, 

Man fits himself some duty to perform; 

Awaits his turn, however slow the task. 

For Opportunity will point the way. 

Who fails to grasp the proffered sceptre, then. 

Doth thereby fail to take an upward step. 



[14] 



Twilight T houghts 



The wheels of time keep rolHng on and on. 
As years creep by, man finds in afterthought 
The opportunities in hfe he missed ; 
He sees where other souls took heed in time, 
The fallacies that haunt a dreaming mind ; 
He learns, forsooth, how easily he lost, 
While others won and passed him in the race. 

Who stoops to conquer good and plucks the rose 

Of life before the bud hath fully blown, 

Should share with those who share a villain's lot. 

Why should man thirst for honor or for fame? 
Why should man yearn for riches vast and great.'' 
Why should man stint himself for worldly gain? 
Life is so short; its pleasures are so few 
No man can well afford to selfish be. 

Man hath no choice in either life or death. 
When he shalt come, nor when he shalt depart; 
His present cares and sorrows are at least 
A repetition of another's past. 

Strive to be good ; be brave, be loyal — true ! 

Make every act a deed to be revered. 

Let every thought a beacon light appear 

To wretched souls who may thy course discern. 



[15] 



Twilight T houghts 



Bear thou in mind and of this make a note: 
Who culls his thoughts from nobler fields of life 
Thus gathers pearls from golden sands of Time — 
The precious gems by Ignorance despised. 

As twilight disappears in unknown space, 
All that man is, all that he holds most dear, 
Shalt pass away in one short breath of life. 

Who hath no aim, save idleness in life; 

Lives in the present, ne'er reviews the past; 

Glides o'er the surface — never dipping down — 

Hath little knowledge of this mighty world, 

Its progress and the reigning powers that be. 

If he succeeds, then Fortune favors him. 

In after years (when weary are his steps — 

The world grows cold and age hath left its mark- 

The hand of Fate points to his timely end), 

He may awake — in misery behold 

The awful nightmare of a wasted life. 

A kindly word to the unfortunate 
Oft brings to life, out of the buried past. 
Some tender memories of by-gone years; 
Recalls to mind the scenes of former days — 
Those sunny days which seldom knew a care — 
Life's summer days of childhood and of youth. 



[16] 



Twilight T houg hts 



Who hath the mind and power to will and do; 
To take a stand for right and court the praise 
Or censure of his f ellowmen, at ease ; 
To challenge thought to combat, with his pen; 
Scorns not the critic's ire (the all-wise sage) ; 
Shares with the world his love, his joys, his pain ; 
Content to live a life of usefulness; 
Gives of his store of knowledge, without grudge. 
To help humanity to reach a higher sphere — 
A nobler plane on which to build anew ; 
Who fosters love and friendship for mankind 
With all-abiding faith in Mighty God 
Bequeaths to man a dowry all his own ! 

The infant child, now old enough to lisp 
And creep or walk, in after years will think — 
Remember of some little pleasure wrought 
Which marked the care of its own mother's hand. 

The stripling, left to walk his course alone, 
Knows not that love a parent doth bestow, 
And day by day, as years creep softly by. 
He finds himself a thing of circumstance. 

From youth to manhood is the turning tide 
That moulds the mind of man and shapes his life. 
To guard the youth is to enhance the world. 



[17] 



Twilight T houghts 



Man learns from song the brighter side of life. 
The thrilling voices of the birds awake 
Within his heart a sense of fervent love. 
Their tender pathos find a welcome place 
In human beings with responsive hearts. 
What would earth be without this ancient choir 
To cheer man's life — make glad his lonely way? 
When breaks the morn, their voices fill the air; 
When shines the sun, their lullabys we hear; 
We list to songs which die away in peace. 
God's feathered pets, forever may they live 
To cheer the lonely wanderers of earth. 

Sweet is the afterthought of chivalry — 
The doing of some noble action wrought. 
The helping of some worthy friend in need; 
To feel the warmth of friendship in return 
And know the act was proffered not in vain; 
To read the w^elcome answer in the eyes — 
The all-inspiring mirrors of the heart. 

Who gives to charity with all his heart 
And covets not the praise of any soul 
For actions wrought, fulfills his Master's will. 
Who gives his gold, expecting in return 
The plaudits of his friends and of the world, 
Must bear in mind : he giveth, but in vain. 



[18] 



Twilight T houghts 



The crowning glory of this life is Age, 

God's sacred heritage to fickle youth ; 

The golden days, the harvest-time of life, 

When bins are full of knowledge garnered in. 

Here Wisdom thrives ; here is the place for Youth 

To learn Life's lesson from the learned sire 

Whose rosary embraces years of thought. 

Of many hardships mingled well with toil. 

A Solomon, he is, with Argus eyes. 

'Tis well for Youth to listen to his tale 

And heed his warning ere it is too late. 

Who sows broadcast the seeds of discontent 
Among his fellowmen, for private gain. 
Becomes a human leech, that, clinging tight. 
Works countless injuries; he is, at best, 
A menace to society and law. 
Allot to him the portion of a thief 
Who enters in the silent hours of night — 
Invades thy home to plunder and to kill. 

The prattling fool — the liar with his myth — 
The man in name but never such in deed, 
Who finds a home and living where he can. 
Is nothing short of this: the Dunce of Fate; 
He should be spurned and shunned, by one and all, 
More than the hissing reptiles of the sod. 



[19] 



Twilight T houghts 



Strong is the man, in purpose and in deed, 

Who guards his birthright with a zealous aim ; 

Regards all laws — his franchise to uphold ; 

Obeys the mandates of our civil courts ; 

Reveres with pride our grand, unconquered Flag — 

An olive branch to weaker nations held — 

The emblem of a freeman's happy land. 

All praise to him who seeks its blessed folds 

With all-abiding trust in God and right. 

He is a brother true in heart and soul 

Who serves his country well in peace or war. 

Eternity — Necropolis of Fate: 

Here rest the weary souls of countless years; 

The soil is ripe with fruit of better days; 

The soul of man pervades this unknown sphere — 

Keeps vigil o'er the daily acts of men. 

This is the place where right and wrong adjust; 

Equality is here in all its worth ; 

The hand of God controls its magic gates 

Which open wide to every human soul 

Who must pass through, some day, no matter when, 

And seek repose with millions gone before. 

No freedom lives that doth not thrive for all ; 
No law is just that hampers the oppressed; 
No government is safe in crafty hands. 



[20] 



Twilight T houg hts 



To wield a sceptre is a noble right. 

No traitor's hand should soil the precious staff. 

The day hath passed when any autocrat 

Can rule this earth, or any part thereof, 

As in the former years, when kings and queens 

Displayed, at will, their domineering powers. 

Against the tyranny of human hands 

Time will affix its everlasting seal. 

The world hath changed, its people have rebelled. 

Man's only master is the Lord — his God ; 

His soul must be submissive to His will. 

The arbitrary power of man, is his 

To stay the stronger hand in times of war. 

If peace he seeks, it lies within his power; 

H war he seeks, he finds a willing foe. 

When Arbitration comes to be a fact — 

A ruling spirit in this world's domain — 

Then wars will cease and strikes be of the past, 

The peace of earth be nearer to secure. 

Hope leads man on and Reason points the way 

When skies are dark- — foreboding are the clouds 

Which hover o'er man's future life. Perhaps 

A little unexpected sunlight falls 

To only waste itself upon the air — 

A sweet reminder of God's faithful love. 



[21] 



Twill ght T houghts 



To censure is to place a human ban 

On Character (or name), a sacred gem 

That gHstens in the crown of goodly men 

And adds its luster to the flame of life. 

The gem, when real, gives forth a brilliant light 

That, dazzling, blinds the eyes of wicked souls 

With lower thoughts and actions of the beast. 

For them is shame, for them is just remorse. 

Their retribution is the will of Fate. 

Spurned by their friends and goaded by their thoughts, 

They have no choice save misery or death. 

Who seeks thy aid, or fireside to enjoy, 
His only purpose that of private gain, 
Is not a friend in whom to place thy trust. 
His is a selfish aim, who bears in mind 
The recompense such friendship may procure. 
Nay! trust him not; beware of his designs. 
Who would profess, yet never prove his steel 
By sterling deeds which merit true respect. 
Regard his word beneath that of a thief. 
Who asks no quarter and who giveth none. 

It is a fact: at church, at bar, at state. 
The line is drawn between the poor and rich ; 
Equality of man rests in the grave ; 
There ! there alone, Death levels all alike. 



[22] 



Twilight Thoughts 



There is no honesty in politics ; 

The party Hnes are drawn too well and close ; 

No sacrifice is made without its gain. 

Too often do we find the candidate 

Promoted for the private purse of men, 

Who in abeyance hold the public good 

And place manhood beneath their filthy acts. 

It is not so in common paths alone 

We find such practices in daily vogue, 

For law is law and man is man, I hold : 

So long as there is chance there will be sin, 

And sin men will to gain their cherished points. 

Our lobbies reek with tainted acts of men, 

Where statesmen seek to ply their erring wits. 

I hold : Some laws, enacted by the few, 
To govern over millions, are absurd ; 
That, fewer laws within our statute books. 
Enforced by honest hands, would serve us best ; 
That, no man should usurp the lawful powders — 
Become the judge and jury, all alone ; 
A judge should be the guardian of Right 
And not the vendor of a tyrant's spleen ; 
That, all should share the sacred privilege 
Of last appeal — regardless of the crime ; 
That, circumstantial evidence is vague ; 
No man should hang- while there is legal doubt. 



[23] 



Twilight T houghts 



Who wields the Rod of Justice must be just; 
His acts should savor not of unfair means. 
Let others seek, through malice, to ensnare ; 
A judge should be above the least reproach. 

Where Duty calls, there is the place for man; 
Where Fortune leads, there should he cast his lot; 
Nor grieve he over gain — however small. 
Make good the start, be faithful to the end; 
Be just and wise, let Prudence govern all. 
Let others chide, who will, each hath his faults ; 
Remember this : there is no perfect man. 
Each passing day doth prove, beyond a doubt, 
The truth of man's own fallibility. 

The world but little cares when man is down. 
The troubles that he knows, nor of the cause. 
What matters it to those who have no pain. 
Whose paths are strewn with roses, everywhere? 
But, let him get a foot-hold once again. 
They quickly gather round him as he climbs — 
His progress watch with jealousy and ire. 
Such craftiness is meted to the weak ; 
Such lack of fellowship some do employ ; 
Why then, that man should learn to hate his sex 
With all the venom of a demon's heart? 



[24] 



Twilight T houghts 



Will man e'er learn that Truth and Honesty 

Are stepping-stones to greater things in life? 

That love of home and kindred is to him 

A comfort which an evil mind detests? 

That show of earth and false impressions are 

The flimsy veils which wicked souls employ 

To hide away their deeds from public scorn? 

That life is sweet to him and him alone, 

Who hath respect for others' rights and thoughts; 

Whose heart is large, whose mind is broad and clear? 

That marriage ties are sacred bonds of God? 

That laws of man are secondary things? 

That which God wills, forever should endure, 

Save for an act no pardon could undo? 

Then it were best the law should take its course 

And free the wounded heart from further pain. 

Man's temper is the motor of his will. 
Who hath not temper hath not energy. 
Man's individuality lies deep 
In human acts which mark him as a man. 

Dead is the heart that holds not some regret 
To mar the joys of life that come and go 
Like cherished friends, whose parting leaves behind 
Fond memories of youth and older age. 



[25] 



Twilight T ho u gilts 



In these heroic days of wealth and lore 

There oft appears a lack of chivalry, 

Which was the pride in hallowed days of old. 

The mannerisms of the present day, 

As practiced by the major class of men, 

Bear witness to such shallowness in mien. 

Self-preservation is a common law. 

But let it find its way through honest means. 

Curst be the greedy hand of any man 

That smites a friend who made him what he is ; 

If hell were true and I its lord-of-all. 

Thrice I would think ere I bequeathed him room. 

In vain man's efforts oft for good are spent; 

More often, though, his evil acts prevail, 

P'or, rather than exert his manly pride, 

He sacrifices honor to his name. 

Who thus forsakes his honor will relent. 

The Sword of Truth, unsheathed, will pierce his heart. 

Who weaves his myrtle in a precious wreath, 
Bedecks himself with ivy's tendrils twined : 
The myrtle wreath an emblem of his acts. 
The clinging ivy — honors nobly won ; 
Makes of himself a model in this world — 
An object lesson for the thoughtful youth. 



[26] 



Twilight T houghts 



The burden of the poor man may be hard, 
But greater still the burden of the rich — 
The man of wealth, who scarcely eats or sleeps. 
The curse of gold implanted on his brow. 
He knows not rest — such as the poor man finds, 
When, after toiling through a weary day, 
He lieth down, his mind at perfect ease. 
And on to Dreamland journeys for the night. 

O peaceful rest, a comfort and a balm 
To weary feet and busy hands and minds; 
A holy benison to those who toil 
With brain or muscle to enrich this world 
By solemn thought, by action or by word. 

Life is a school, wherein the shiftless drone 

Finds little solace for a weakly mind. 

The wise man studies well, in earnest thought, 

The daily lessons which are his to learn. 

Experience, the master of this school, 

Rules with a stern, relentless hand ; 

Hews to the notch and spares not any man. 

Who studies well Life's reader, page by page. 
Will not ill-spend his hours in mental toil; 
But he who shirks his lessons, day by day. 
Will play the Truant to his own regret. 



[27] 



Twilight T houghts 



Who daily dwells in Dreamland's sunny bowers 
May easy live, perchance may easy die; 
The world will little care, or miss him much : 
That man hath well outlived his usefulness. 

Man's greatness lies in little acts alone ; 
His reverence for God — for others' rights ; 
Let him so act his fellowmen will hail 
His noble deeds that crown a goodly name. 

Shorn of the magic power that gives to man 
The needed strength to wield a master-hand ; 
Cast in the mire of self-disgrace, he writhes, 
A pitied victim of some morbid dream. 

When honor dies, man's soul becomes immune 
To every holy action in this life; 
Immersed in evil — struggling in hell's bog. 
He sinks beneath the level of his race. 

Man learns through grief the wages deep of sin, 

He bears his cross with agony of heart; 

The peerless foe of Nature he combats, 

His ruined health the final sacrifice. 

He sees himself — a Lazarus of old. 

He pays in full who dares to disobey 

The Seventh Precept of Almighty God. 



[28] 



Twilight T houghts 



Man purchased freedom at a sacrifice. 

The greatest cost that human hands can pay ; 

He shed his blood for country and for home, 

And of the patriot who bled and died 

Let it be said with honor to his name: 

A soldier brave, with an immortal trust 

Imposed by God — by Heaven's will inspired. 

And when we gaze o'er rugged battle-fields 

Once red with blood— the carnage known to war — 

We bare our heads, in honor of the slain 

Salute the Flag, say : "Peace be with their dust." 

The social ties which bind our fellowmen 
Prove flimsy things when there is friendly need. 
If you would seek a friend in whom to trust, 
Befriend yourself and keep a silent tongue. 

The haggard look that graces man's physique 
Bespeaks for him a troubled life of care, 
And Sorrow's stamp, implanted on his brow, 
Reminds one of a sad and heavy heart 
That longs for love, perhaps for missing kin. 
The sunshine of his heart once passed away, 
His eyes no more a youthful luster bear; 
His faded cheeks no healthy hue adorns ; 
Man well bemoans the passing of his years — 
The solitude that travels with old age. 



[29] 



Twilight Thoughts 



The human vulture, lurking, seeks his prey 
Among the virgin ranks — without disdain ; 
Reserves no honor for a mother's love; 
A sister's purity he holds for naught. 
The skulking scoundrel revels in his lust 
And boasts, betimes, of conquests quickly won. 
Love's perfidy — his one absorbing thought — 
Controls his mind throughout his leisure hours. 
He is a traitor to the Laws of God. 

Clad in the raiment of a princely son, 
Man hides his shame to unsuspecting eyes 
So blinded through the ecstasy of love 
They fail to penetrate his inner self 
Or fathom well his wicked heart's designs. 
The evil-hand, that governs thus his acts, 
Calls forth the praise of demon souls alone. 
Yea! chain the human leech beside a stake 
And leave him to the mercy of the crows. 

Strong is the heart and rich the fertile mind 
That bear no hatred, no malicious thought ; 
Keyed up to Fate, immune to evil ways, 
The Scales of Justice hinged on either hand; 
Thus, up or down, he weigheth well his store : 
The good, his noble deeds and actions wrought ; 
The bad, the lesser deeds the erring share. 



[30] 



Twilight T houghts 



The Simple Life is best for one and all, 
Affords relief which heavy cares demand ; 
Gives ample time in which to act and rest — 
The needed recreation man desires. 
It thus forestalls the action of Old Age 
Which ever seeks an inroad to the end. 
The ardent man is always deeply pressed; 
His energy oft taxed beyond his strength ; 
He feels the force of an impending power 
That, breeding, leaves disaster in its wake. 
His sleepless hours his body will unfit ; 
The ravishings of time will wreck his mind. 
So then, be wise, a simple course pursue : 
Live with the birds, the brooklet and the glen; 
Get back to nature — in its simplest forms. 
For there is life and love and earthly peace. 

Despised by all save those of evil ways, 

The villain shrinks from Sin — a cowering slave. 

His mind engrossed with thoughts of wicked deeds ; 

And, haunted by the spectre of his past. 

He blandly chides himself for lawless gains. 

True happiness is seldom merged with wealth ; 
Like Crabbed Age and Youth, they will not mate. 
True happiness in life, where such is found, 
Dwells with the poor but seldom with the rich. 



[31] 



Twill g ht Thoughts 



Life's ocean lies before the untrained youth, 
A broad expanse — unfathomed and unknown. 
The wonders that are buried in its depths 
Must yet be found — unbosomed to his eyes. 
The adverse gales, which o'er its surface sweep, 
Leave in their wake the havoc of our time. 
Who then would brave Life's wild and stormy sea. 
Must build his ship with cleverness and care ; 
Its mighty ribs from goodly actions wrought. 
Its sturdy hulk of noble deeds enmeshed, 
And from the masthead of his craft unfurl 
The ensign : CHARACTER ! in letters bold. 

A hero's name is hailed with wide applause. 
The world pays tribute to his noble deeds. 
His mighty valor thrills the human heart, 
Enlists our praise, our blessings and our prayers. 
The coward's name provoketh angry words. 
This world abhors, detests a traitor's shame. 

The meanest cur that pantaloons bedeck 
May share a mother's true, undying love; 
No hatred of his race can crush or quench 
Her sacred love that is of life a part. 
Pursued by hounds, an outlaw to the last, 
He still remains some mother's cherished boy. 



[32] 



Twili ght T houghts 



Life's stage is filled with actors, high and low ; 
The characters are varied — some unique ; 
The dramas teem with sorrow, sin and mirth, 
And scenes of childhood and of older age. 
How few the artists, though, the eye detects 
Among the multitude who daily act. 

This roofless coliseum holdeth all ; 
Its arch is formulated by the sky; 
The curtain lowers at the close of day 
To rise again when cometh up the sun ; 
Yet, unrestrained, the dramas now progress 
With little rest for either good or bad, 
So nmst it be — each playeth well his part — 
These ever-changeful dramas without end. 

The tragedies of life, enacted here, 

Portray the thoughts which haunt the hearts of men. 

Bring fear to some, to others nothingness — 

Who look on life as one distasteful dream. 

The morbid mind reposes in its lust; 

The active mind finds food for solid thought. 

Let each one act his part so nobly well, 

A lesson it will teach to son and sire: 

Be not afraid, or prone to idle praise ; 

Guard well thine acts — in honor lies thy name. 



[33] 



Twilight T houghts 



When once deposed, the glory that was his 

Hath passed away; the honor of his name 

To Halls of Memory, alone, assigned, 

Man then becomes a relic of the past — 

A living spectre of his former self. 

Unloved, unkempt, deserted and despised, 

He gropes his way through darkness and in fear; 

Such is the fate that overtakes the man 

Who lacks the moral strength to back his will. 

The gilded halls, with portals set ajar 
To welcome in the hosts of human souls, 
Where gather men and women of the world 
To revel 'midst the pleasures of their clan ; 
Where luring music captivates the heart 
And Sorrow seeks for solace in the cup ; 
These are the hell-holes of a city's care, 
Where Evil meets with small — if no restraint. 
Both old and young, the wretched and depraved. 
All gathered there in one disheveled band. 
Such are the places fostered by the rich, 
Where virtue counts for naught and honor dies ; 
Where men resort to treachery at times — 
Those vicious men, the vampires of this earth — 
And aided, as it were, by fairer pals. 
They find a pleasure in their daily strife 
To proselyte the maiden and the youth. 



[34] 



Tivilig ht T houghts 



A contrite heart appealeth much to man, 
His dire contrition succors needed aid ; 
One blessed word of comfort and of cheer, 
One kindly deed of mercy — nobly done ; 
One helping hand extended with a will. 
United, form a solace of relief, 
Alike the gracious sunshine of the sky 
Which penetrates the dark and gloomy clouds — 
A silent messenger from Heaven's throne — 
To cheer man onward to his cherished goal, 
When disappointment frowns on every hand 
And bids to thwart, despoil his grand ideals. 

From what good source couldst evil thoughts arise? 
From what clear fount couldst filthy waters flow? 
From what pure heart couldst evil emanate? 
Let wise, portentous man these questions solve. 

The gallows strikes no terror to the hearts 
Of criminals who live to knife and shoot. 
The Chair is held a plaything, in their minds, 
As crime becomes a pastime in their lives. 
The highwayman and murderer should share 
Alike, the fate that dungeon walls conceal : 
A living death — no pardon — no reprieve ; 
No sun — no light — existence worse than death. 
To hang a man is to repeat a crime. 



[35] 



Twilight Thoughts 



Straight as an arrow flieth to its mark; 
Sure as a deadly bullet finds its goal ; 
So angry words oft penetrate the heart, 
Incur despair — cause bitter tears to flow. 
Naught else is there betwixt this earth and sky 
That doth afford such boon of human joy 
As kindly words dispense from day to day; 
Love's sunshine ever lingers in their wake. 

The shortest path may prove the longest course, 
The longest road from barriers be free; 
If haste thou must, be careful in thy choice. 
Make confidants of none while on thy way. 
Be patient ; wise, sincere in all thou dost ; 
See all, hear all, keep wending to the right. 

However great the man — his subtile power 

To criticise or wield a humbling blow, 

He should reflect, of other powers beware. 

Lest he, in turn, must yield to stronger force 

And feel that sting most poignant to the heart 

Which Truth, alone, doth serve to currish lips. 

The sense of reason, undethroned, secure 

Within the Hall of Mind, may well deploy 

Its varied sources to the end that he 

By decent methods, known to honest men. 

Can well retain those honors which are his. 



[36] 



Twilight T houghts 



There is one bank no human hand can rob; 

Securely strong, its lock is run by Time; 

Its book accounts are kept by unknown hands; 

Its profits and its losses — human deeds. 

The profits are the better deeds of men ; 

The losses are the acts of erring souls. 

Let every day some little profit add 

To thy account, however small it be ; 

The coming years will net a good return. 

To all depositors, who merit such, 

It pays to them a handsome dividend. 

Man flirts with Sin and lists to Folly's whims, 

Forgets awhile his duty to perform, 

And blindly staggers on through fields of sin 

Regardless of the cost or of the end. 

It is the same old story known of old. 

The same old pathways and the same old way. 

And naught save Death his wishes could deter. 

How gravely, too, he oft recounts the past 

So full of trouble, sorrow and remorse, 

With Fate triumphant to the bitter end. 

Who counts his gain by others' losses won 
And sacrifices friendship for his hoard, 
Doth count his riches with a selfish hand 
That angels scorn and righteous men detest. 



[37] 



Twilight Thoughts 



Man longs in vain to be a child once more, 
To feel the soulful kiss of mother lips ; 
That fond caress no other hand can give; 
Enjoy that love which welled within her heart; 
See once again that kind and loving smile 
Which lit her face and made of her a queen. 
Alas ! 'Twas ever thus and will be so 
Till time exhausts its measure — endless time : 
These horrid sorrows weigh on human minds 
And dog man's weary footsteps to the grave. 

Man's greatest fault of all is self-conceit; 
His crudest aim in life is wealth itself; 
His grandest hope is heaven's crown to share ; 
His dearest joy is love of home and kin, 
To live, to toil for those who share with him 
His love, his joys, his burden and his all. 

Man may recount his numbered days of life 
With sickly heart, behold an ill career — 
Black as the night and punctured here and there 
By minor acts or crimes of great import, 
Which formed the ballast of his flying ship. 
If man would penetrate Life's higher sphere 
And navigate his craft with master-hand, 
Let him then cast such ballast to the winds 
That he may safely soar to grander heights. 



[38] 



Twilight T houghts 



When crows the cock — ah ! then should man arise, 
Desert such slumber as benumbs the mind — 
Unfitting it for early morning tasks. 
Be up and doing, give not o'er to sleep ; 
Work with a will, a mighty energy 
That doth uplift — that generates results. 
Learn to devise, to concentrate thy thoughts — 
The better thoughts that greater blessings bring. 
Look not to right, nor look thee to the left, 
But keep thine eye intently on some aim. 
Who follows well this piece of crude advice 
Hath little cause for worry or distress. 
Side with the gay, make merry with thy friends 
And bear thee well in mind, from day to day: 
Who borrows trouble deals in losing stocks 
Which have no value more than loss of time. 
Life's sky is clear for him who wisely sees 
And exercises judgment and good sense. 
Wouldst thou embrace a life of joy and love, 
Then live thee well, be patient till ye hear 
The Voice that calls thee from a world of sin. 

Where falls the rain, there find a dismal haunt ; 
Where shines the sun, there look for ripened fruit ; 
Where clings the nest, there wings the parent bird ; 
Where lingers hope and love, and sweet repose — 
A welcome home — there look for happy man. 



[39] 



Twilight T houghts 



Who wields a sword must well expect a blow ; 
Who plays with fire likewise expect a burn ; 
Who deals in sin must reckon with its host; 
Who barters good hath nothing to regret. 

What right hath he to delve in ancient lore 
Who lacks in modern knowledge of this world? 
What right hath he to criticise — command — 
Who bears no scars or pretext to obey? 

What right hath he to share a hero's crown 
Who steps aside when Duty calls for aid? 
What right hath he to cherish peace and love 
Who goads his foes and villifies his friends? 
What right, indeed, what common right hath he 
To all the good and gracious things of earth? 

Man is the trick-mule of the human race; 
While good at play he answers well for work ; 
He hath the temper though his ears be short; 
For faithfulness, he needs but trying out 
To solve the class in which he best belongs. 
He may be good when pitted to the test, 
A sorry failure when it comes to please; 
But mules are mules — wherever they appear, 
A human ass is treacherous to trust. 



[40] 



Twili ght T houg hts 



The country lout may pine for city life, 
The glitter and the glory it may hold ; 
But, should he ask, the answer would be short : 
Stick to the plow, thy parents and thy home ; 
The youth is wise who thus contented lives 
A princely life of rough but honest toil. 

Man's fury gathers like the tempest's ire 
That devastates the country and the home 
And shows no mercy for the rich or poor. 
All share alike before the tyrant gale 
That only leaves destruction in its wake. 
Such fury is the climax of his nerves 
Unstrung by strife or wearied out by toil. 
The peaceful mind reclines in pleasant thoughts, 
Unmoved by anger and unswerved by grief. 

A gambler's fate awaits the fickle youth 
Who tries his fortune in a losing game 
And stakes his all to win a paltry sum. 
The favored few rake in his shining gold 
And offer naught save curses in return. 
The habit formed, the passion quickly grows, 
And once ensnared, within the demon's power. 
The fascination of a gambler's life 
Clings to his soul as clings an ivy vine. 



[41] 



Twilis^ht T houshts 



Who revels in the mire of self-conceit 
Must trust to Fate the wisdom of his acts. 
The gods are good, alone, to those who err; 
The "perfect man" needs not their aid or praise. 
Beware ! then, sir, shouldst thou in time aspire 
Or seek to pose, in life, an earthly god. 
So trim thy lamp, its light may well reflect 
The sunshine of thy life in every ray. 

Who lifts his hand to awe a willful spouse 
Must needs think twice or he may rue the act 
(This might apply to either sex, as well). 
Ah! better far to lend a passive ear 
Than bow to temper and resort to shame. 

Some men are born to wield magnetic power, 

And others born to live ignoble lives ; 

All men are born, some purpose to fulfill. 

And, good or bad, their actions make this world. 

Man lacks in courage to combat his will, 
Deny himself of that which breeds no good ; 
To face the tempter with a look of scorn; 
To prosecute a fierce, relentless war 
Against those evils which debauch his race. 
But, mute to care, with an all-grasping hand 
He bides his time — let come whatever may. 



[42] 



Twilight T houghts 



The patient ass bears well his heavy load 
And murmurs not while passing on his way ; 
The human grouch pipes of his fancied wrongs 
And shirks his burden to a brother's care. 

Death reunites the father and the son, 

The wayward daughter and the erring wife, 

The injured mother and her angry spouse. 

No other cause could thus the mind dissuade 

Or heal love's breach of infidelity 

Like death, itself, which serves to soothe the wronged- 

Abridge the chasm widened by the years. 

Oft bringing peace and love, and true good-will. 

The pain is great, the sorrow greater still ; 

But he who bears the burden must be brave 

And meet the foe with courage — born of love. 

And stoic-like await the final end. 

The white man's yoke is fastened strong and tight. 

He cannot cast it off with perfect ease; 

It came to him, an heirloom, at a time 

Of bitter strife between the North and South. 

To shake it off would be a giant task. 

The yoke has tightened with a firmer grip; 

But, just as sure as God in heaven reigns. 

The time will come when wise men must decide 

Which is supreme — the white man or the black. 



[43] 



Twilight T houghts 



The marriage vow is not for man alone ; 

What God hath willed no being can forestall. 

Learn to divide and hold an equal share, 

Not covet all the rights and sweets of life. 

Pure happiness can only well abide 

Where there is love — that love which is supreme. 

Who sends his children forth for daily bread, 
Wee offspring — they, some sweatshop to adorn, 
Makes of them slaves, while by the fire he sits, 
A mug of beer quite handy by his side. 
Proves to the world his shallowness; how far 
A lazy man can go without a step. 
He should be flogged, imprisoned for his act, 
And driven from the hearth he seeks to guard — 
Unworthy of such love a dog enjoys, 
Much less the honor of a father's name. 

Leave to the wretch the baser acts of life; 
To noble minds the future to dissect ; 
The sanctity of home (a Nation's trust) 
Must thrive or perish by the will of man. 

Who would reform the world must not forget 
To place his faults, like others, on the scales; 
Perhaps, with much chagrin, he then will note 
The up or downward motion of the beam. 



[ 44 ] 



Twilisht T houghts 



The hour hath passed, the day hath come and gone, 

When man, alone, invades the business world. 

He finds a rival in the fairer sex. 

Who dares to come and join him in the strife. 

The spell thus broke, no more is man supreme 

And free to act and play a selfish hand. 

His sister reaches out and bids him come 

And in life's great arena share with her 

The honors and the treasure of this earth. 

Lo! ere another short expanse of time, 

The suffrage that she seeks will crown her work 

(A righteous power bestowed by brother man), 

Thus, life with her a just fulfillment find. 

The time is nigh, when man — to gain his aims — 

Must reckon with the hand that rocks the crib. 

The man who seeks an elevated plane 
Must choose a path exclusive to his needs; 
There is no elevator for the drone. 
The strength of Character, alone, can lift. 
No man will ever gain an honored place 
Who rests his ladder on a soggy soil. 

There is one path alone for man to tread: 
The narrow path and righteous, too, its way; 
The humble soul, who keeps within its bounds, 
Reaps a reward more oft denied the great. 



[45] 



Twilight Thoughts 



In peaceful times, dissension oft is found 

Among the ranks of men who would safe-guard 

The destinies of government and state ; 

Who grasp the mighty questions of the hour 

With master-minds immersed by Victory. 

But let the tidal wave of war prevail, 

Some foreign peril threaten sea or shore, 

How quickly all dissension disappears. 

Internal strife gives way to valiant deeds, 

All men are one in action and in thought: 

The Flag must be preserved at any cost. 

So great, indeed, man's duty thus becomes, 

No other cause could swerve his sacred course. 

The blood that flows and gushes through his veins 

Is likened to the precious blood of old 

That voyagers at Plymouth Rock possessed. 

Who thinks he has no duty to perform. 

No earthly care for others' thoughts or needs, 

Forsakes himself, likewise the cause of man. 

Who would reform his ways and actions mend. 
Must first forsake the company he keeps. 
Surround himself with those of high ideals. 
Association makes or spoils a name. 
Disintegration of the human mind 
Breeds shallow-minded idiots galore. 



[46] 



Twilight T houghts 



The world is growing greater, year by year; 
Momentous are the issues which arise, 
And mightier the problems yet to solve. 
Life's book is full of lessons for the young; 
It holds a catechism for the old. 
Who studies well its teachings must reflect 
And in its pages wondrous stories find. 

Man's cleverness, like strong proclivities, 
Is bound to manifest itself in time. 
His aptitude, in minor acts of life, 
Foreshadows his success in greater things. 
Relying on his strength to do and dare 
(His better judgment ever to prevail), 
A strong determination and desire, 
He may surmount the pinnacles of ill. 

Who rants division of the rich man's spoils. 
May noisy be. His clamor and his roar, 
Alike the distant rumble of a cloud 
Proclaiming far the coming of a storm. 
Prelude the selfish deeds he would enact. 
His voice is low but treacherous his acts ; 
Deluded is his faith in better things ; 
Miscarried is the judgment of his life. 
He is a scavenger of evil thoughts — 
Of cussedness, itself, personified. 



[47] 



Twilight T houghts 



There is no peace on earth that is secure, 
Save in the wise preparedness for war. 
The wisdom of our Washington endures. 
The nation that would force its issues best 
Must be prepared to back its just demands. 
The Peace of Earth will never come to pass 
Till every human being turns to dust. 

God-fearing, ever, be the course of man, 
Unswerved by evil or temptation's ways; 
Let honor be his watchword and his aim. 
Integrity his daily guiding star. 

Unwritten is the law of "blood for blood," 
And mighty is the vengeance of the wronged ; 
Where there is cause — a righteous one and just — 
Release the hand, exonorate the man. 

Blest be man's course and higher still his aim; 
Whatever be the path his feet may tread. 
Let meaner thoughts and actions not pervert — 
Distort the mind and ruination bring. 

The seed of youth is sown in varied fields 
\\^here sweep destructive gales, both good and bad. 
Which scatter to the four winds of the earth 
The human harvest of Life's reaper — Death ! 



[48] 



Twilight T houghts 



Go thou and walk through church-yards, old and gray, 
Where rest the countless dead of ages past! 
Could you but know the story of the lives 
Of those who sleep the silent sleep of death, 
What sorrow, oh ! what sorrow would you find 
Where Destitution found a welcome peace. 

Swift be the retribution that o'ertakes 
Inhuman monsters known to brutal acts 
Of violence toward their weaker sex. 
No punishment is too severe for them. 
The whipping-post, alone, might well suffice. 
Hail to the day! let speedy be the hour 
That witnesseth its welcome and return. 
Shame on the coward and his wicked ways. 
Such violence belongs alone to brutes 
Devoid of brain — incapable of thought. 
The model husband scorns a bad career. 
Man's better elements must needs prevail 
In order that this world be purged of sin. 

The seeds of friendship sown in youthful hours, 
Ofttimes take root and blossom unawares. 
So, from the golden harvest fields of time, 
Age seeks to garner in his precious store. 
With saddened heart, man longs to see again 
The Alma Mater of his younger days. 



[49] 



Twilight T houghts 



O pleasant thoughts, which come to one betimes, 
When lost in deep reflection o'er the past; 
Sweet reverie, that soothes the weary mind — 
Affording comfort for the bleeding heart. 

The best of life occurs in doing well 
That part which is most sacred to the soul, 
The part that most appeals to good men's hearts: 
In doing good and making others glad. 

Who drinks of wine must ever bear in mind 

The danger that may lurk around his door; 

The misery that follows in its wake; 

The countless crimes enacted year by year; 

The wretches that it makes of tender youths 

Influenced by its essence and its taste. 

This is one fount from which the lawless spring — 

The hated human beasts we dread and fear. 

The wise man scorns and passes by the glass. 

One sober man is worth a million fools. 

The wise man thinks and acts, but little says; 

He may presume, but only to himself ; 

He deals in facts, for seldom is he wrong; 

His judgment far outweighs the other class 

Who prate their fancied themes with childish zest 

And fill our ears with their bombastic roar. 



[50] 



Twilight Thoughts 



Who shapes his bow, his arrow may control. 
Who fills his quiver with a careful hand 
Hath naught to fear from mighty warriors bold. 
Who guides his shaft with clever, constant eye, 
Himself may burden with the rarest prey. 

When in the sky Life's sunset softly comes, 
And homeward wends the hunter on his way, 
His haversack well empty, worn and flat; 
His weary feet unshod, his raiment torn; 
Without one hand to welcome his return 
Save that of kin, who, spurred by greediness. 
Long hoped to profit by his golden hunt, 
'Tis plain to see his journey was in vain. 

A sulking man is hated like a thief. 
Detested by the wary and alert. 
Beware of him, the much disgruntled clown. 
Lest he should seek thy honor to revile. 
Thus pilfer from the storehouse of thy name. 
His actions brook no good, no chaste designs; 
He is a hindrance and a curse to peace. 

The wise presumptions, man ofttimes assumes. 
Are nothing more nor less than arrogance; 
Such arrogance that breeds no common joy 
And fills the human heart with bitter pain. 



[51] 



Tw ilig ht T houg hts 



Each epoch hath its hero sons to crown. 
Ah! pure the blood that gushes through their veins 
And strong the hearts which send its volume forth, 
Such blood as Jones and Farragut possessed; 
Such blood as Lincoln gave for God and man; 
Such blood as tinged the green and grassy sward 
At Concord town where stood the Minute-men. 
Ho! for such blood as flowed in Perry's days. 
Ho! for the great, immortal sons of fame. 

The pampered Son of Fortune (like a slave 
Who longs to break his fetters and be free) 
Finds little solace in his lazy life. 
The spendthrift seldom augurs any good, 
And prone to pleasure, leans to evil ways. 
All said and done, man finds it as a rule : 
The power of wealth engenders ugly pride. 
Unfits the youth, preludes an early grave. 

\\'ho sets his mind on some gigantic task, 

Unfalteringly pursues it day by day 

Through tireless months and years of mental pain, 

Must pay the penalty of early age, 

Unknown to dreamers, who, in turn, extend 

The mortuary of a droneful class 

Who only leave behind their worthless bones — 

No noble thoughts, no deeds to crown their names. 



[52] 



Tw Hi g ht T houg ht. 



Who lieth down in blissful slumber, sleeps 

A sleep profound, that harketh not to strife, 

\\'ith conscience clear, a character of worth, 

Deserves his rest, the kindliest of thoughts, 

While passing on to his well-earned reward : 

Eternal rest — the recompense of toil. 

So rest the good ; the bad may be at ease, 

Freed from all cares until that final day 

When millions will awake from thrilling dreams — 

Their slumbers o'er, their souls by God assigned, 

To share the woes or pleasures of their choice. 

Decision is the secret of success — 
The vital verdict of the human mind; 
And quick or slow, it often carries weight. 
But on its clever action all depends. 
Who wisely sees and clearly comprehends 
Will profit by its power where others fail. 

Man's common fault is lack of proper sense 
To judge, to act, to others well appear; 
To choose between the paths of right and wrong; 
To place his trust should he feel so disposed. 
Man's labor o'er, his future fate is sealed. 
Death makes existence simple and complete; 
It simplifies the soul — brings a reward 
That reaches far within eternal space. 



[53] 



Twilight Thoughts 



The passing years are precious buds of Life 
Which bloom and blossom in the fields of Time; 
Their dainty petals, tossed by adverse gales, 
Are swiftly scattered over countless graves. 

Not what he claims but simply what he is, 
Thus man is known and rated by the world; 
Not by his words but by his daily acts 
He shall be gauged and judged by fellowmen. 

God leads the blind ; he pointeth out the way ; 
The angels whisper in the deaf man's ear; 
Thus, both are led and guided through the years- 
Long years of darkness and of silent thought. 

The hope of earth lies in the soul of man ; 
His efforts furnish power to shape the world, 
To turn the wheels of progress on and on ! 
The structures which he builds, from day to day, 
Are only costly monuments of time, 
The landmarks of Ambition's pride and zeal. 
Then, let man build so strong, and fine in Art, 
Posterity will hail with grand acclaim 
The symbols of his greatness yet to be — 
These fruits of toil — results of master-hands, 



[54] 



Twilight T houghts 



And passing generations, in their turn, 
Will build anew or unto old will add, 
Till darkness shalt circumference the world 
And daylight pass forever into night. 

When Death draws nigh, then is the time for prayer, 
For sacred songs and kind, consoling words. 
When lips grow cold — the eyes a mottled gray. 
The form benumbed and life is all but gone. 
The heart still throbs, though fainter grows the pulse, 
Man finds his level, pays his last tribute 
To earth and kin, and back again to dust 
He passes, then, to beetle and to worm. 

Live thou, that Heaven's portals will not close 

Before thine eyes and stay thy weary feet ; 

Live thou, no other man canst say: 

His soul is lost, his life was full of sin ; 

Live thou, that all men will rejoice 

And bless thy name forever and anon! 



FINIS 



[55] 



JUN 26 1912 



